Slider holder

ABSTRACT

In the art of assembling a slide fastener, there is provided a device for holding a sliding member or slider in position for threading the same through a slide fastener chain which device comprises a spring-actuated lever means for releasably retaining the slider in locked position without having to employ any external driving power.

United States Patent Kawakami SLIDER HOLDER [72] Inventor: Koichi Kawakami, Toyama, Japan [73] Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 140,684

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 16, 1970 Japan ..45/4l7 65 [52] US. Cl. ..269/49, 24/205. 15H, 24/230 A, 269/254 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A44b 19/00, A44b 1 1/25 [58] Field of Search ..24/205. 15 H, 230 A, 230 U; 269/49, 254 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,542,201 2/1951 McDonald ..24/205. 15 H us] 3,685,814 1 'Aug. 22, 1972 2,838,831 6/1958 Aubuchon, ..24/205.l5H 2,904,347 9/1959 Tucker ..24/230A Primary Examiner-Bemard A. Gelak Attorney-Bucknam & Archer 57 ABSTRACT In the art of assembling a slide fastener, there is provided a device for holding a sliding member or slider in position for threading the same through a slide fastener chain which device comprises a spring-actuated lever means for releasably retaining the slider in locked position without having to employ any external driving power.

' 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 3,685,814 S HEET10F2 PATENTEBAUBZZ 1972 v INVENT OR. v KOICHI KAWAKAMI P'ATE'NTEDmszz m2 SHEEI 2 0F 2 mvsmoa BY Koucm KAWAKAMI SLIDER HOLDER This invention relates generally to the field of sliding clasp fasteners and-particularly to means for retaining a reciprocating slider securely into position on a working table for threading through a fastener chain.

Conventional devices of the type just mentioned generally employ spring-actuated ball members or pressurized rod members with which to urge the pull tab of the slider frictionally into fixed position. However, such frictional retention of sliders is not satisfactory for the purpose of holding the slider in stationary position for smooth mounting on the fastener chain.

There have also been proposed various means for handling automatic locking type sliders. A typical example comprises a means for gripping the pull tab of the slider and, in cooperation with a puller member, forcing the pull tab away from the slider bodythereby to retract the slider locking member from the element guide channels formed in the slider body. However, such slider holder construction is usually complicated, requires driving from an external power source as from an electric motor, and hence becomes bulky.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide an improved slider holding means which will eliminate the above-noted difficulties of the conventional divices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means capable of holding the slider resiliently yet securely in set position for threading through a slide fastener chain, without resort to external driving power.

A further related object of the invention is to provide a slider holding means which is compact and simple in construction, easy to handle without special skill and suitable for mounting on a table or bench.

These and other objects and features of the invention, which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed a reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, partially in section, of a slider holder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the holder shown in FIG. 1 with a slider retaining lever held in normal, upright position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Ill-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the lever in its forwardly biased, operative position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation, partially in section, of a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the slider holder shown in FIG. 6 showing the slider retaining lever in its retracted, inoperative position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but showing the lever in its forwardly biased, operative position; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the invention, showing the lever in its retracted, inoperative position.

EMBODIMENT l Referring first to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a slider holder 10 embodying the invention. The slider holder 10 comprises a supporting frame or block 11 having formed on the top end thereof with a slider rest 12 for mounting thereon a slider S. The frame member 11 is provided interiorly with a slit 13 extending longitudinally of the supporting frame 1 1 and opening into the slider rest 12 and with a cavity 14 communicating with said slit l3. Accommodated within the cavity. 14 is a slider retaining lever 15 having a wedge-shaped head portion 16 adapted to be thrusted into and out of an opening Po formed in the pull tab P of the slider S. The

lever 15 is further provided with a shoulder portion 17 having an inclined surface 17' disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of the pull tab P. The lever 15 is pivotally supported on a pin 18 extending between and secured to side walls 19, 20 of the frame member 11. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the lever 15 is provided with a cross-sectionally rhombic neck portion 21 having a ridge 22 defining on opposite sides thereof symmetric cam faces 23, 24. There are formed in the side walls 19, 20 of the frame 11 cylindrical openings 25 each for receiving freely movably therein a ball member 26, said openings being positioned substantially in registry with the rhombic neck 21 of the lever 15. The ball members 26 are normally pressed against the respective cam faces 23, 24 of the neck 21 by means of leaf springs 27 secured by screws 28 to the frame 1 1.

With this construction, the slider holder 10, in its in operative position appears as shown in FIG. 2, wherein the pair of ball members 26 are pressed against the first or forward cam faces 23 by the action of the leaf spring 27 so that the lever 15 is urged rearwa'rdly into substantially upright, retracted position, with a tapered tip end 16' of the head 16 disposed clear of the slit 13 and with part of the inclined surface 17' of the shoulder 17 ex tended across the slit 13.

Having thus described the construction of the slider holder 10, the operation thereof will now be discussed.

The slider S is mounted on the slider rest 12 of the holder 10 with the pull tab P inserted dependently within the slit 13 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. In this position, the slider body is slightly raised above the slider rest 12, and the pull tab P has its tip end barely in contact with the inclined surface 17 of the shoulder 17 of the lever 15. The slider S is now depressed by finger pressure just hard enough to let the pull tab P toss the shoulder 17 down, thus to move the lever 15 slightly counterclockwise and thrust the tapered end 16' of the head 16 into the opening P0 of the tab P. The rhombic neck 21 advances between and pushes apart the 0pposed balls 26 against tension in the springs 27, and as the balls 26 ride over the ridges 22 of the rhombic head 21, they will roll swiftly downthe rearward cam faces 24 under the influence of inwardly directed tension in the leaf springs 27. In other words, the aforesaid finger pressure with which to press the slider S downwardly is required only to an extent suflicient to cause the balls 26 to ride over the ridges 22 of advancing rhombic neck 21, whereupon the balls 26 roll down the rearward cam faces 24 of the rhombic neck 21 under the influence of tension in the springs 27, causing the lever 15 to rotate counter-clockwise as indicated by the the slider S is locked position thereon. When handling automatic lock type sliders, the downwardly biased tip 16' of the lever 15 urges .the pull tab P further downwardly until the locking member inthe slider is retracted clear of the fastener element guide channels formed in the slider body, as shown in FIG. 4.

In this manner, the slider S seated on the rest 12 of the holder 10 is held advantageously immovable simply pulled upwardly so that the pull tab P moves the lever 15 clockwise into retracted position, releasing the locking head 16 from the opening P of the tab P. The

lever 15 may be retained securely in this retracted position by the action of the ball members 26 which have now been brought into contact with and compressed against the forward cam faces 23 underthe influence of return tension of the leaf springs 27. It will be appreciated that the leaf springs 27 may be substituted by a coil spring, and such spring member and ball member may be provided only on one side of the lever 15.

EMBODIMENT n Referring to FIGS. 6.thro ugh 8, there is shown a modifiedstructure of the slider holder 10 according to theinvention, wherein the slider holder 10 has, similar to the first embodiment, aslider rest 12 on top of a supporting frame 11. A slit 13 is likewise formed longitudinally through the interior of the supporting frame 11 for thrusting therethrough the pull tab P of the slider when it is placed on the slider rest 12 in the manner already discussed. The supporting frame 11 is provided with a cavity 14 for accommodating therein a springactuated lever member 15 having wedge-shaped upper and lower projections 16 and 17. The lever 15 is pivotally supported on a pin member 18 extending between and secured to the inner side walls 19, 20 of the supporting frame -11 In this modified structure, a tension spring 29 is employed as a means for resiliently retaining the lever 15 in either a forward or a rearward set position. The tension spring 29 spans between an upper pin 30 adjacent to the upper end of the lever means 15 and a lower-pin 31 extending from the frame member 11 beneath the lower end of the lever '15. It is preferred 'to locate the three pin members 18, 30 and 31 in such geometric relation that the lever 15 assumes its neutral position when these pins are held in vertical alignment with one another. In this manner, any appreciable forward orrearward biasing movement from the said neutral position may bring the lever 15 into its forward or rearward set position under the influence of tension in the spring 29. Normally, that is to say, when a slider is not placed on the holder 10, the lever 15 is held in its rearward set position with its upper end portion resting against the end wall of the supporting frame 11, as shown in FIG. 7. When a slider is placed on the rest 12 and downwardly directed finger pressure is applied to the slider, the upper edge of the lower projection 17 is tossed downwardly by the pull tab P, and the I lever 15 is flexed forwardly as the upper projection 16 thrusts into the opening Po and pulls the pull tab P downwardly under the influence of tension in the spring 29, until the slider is securely seated on the rest EMBODIMENT III FIG. 9 shows another modification of the invention wherein the lever 15 is provided at its lower-end with cam surfaces 32 and 33 on opposite sides of a ridge 34. Disposed in abutting relation to the lower end of the lever 15 is a pusher rod member 35 which is urged upwardly by a compression spring 36 accommodated in the bottom wall of the supporting frame member 11.

The upper end of the pusher member 35 is normally abutted against the rear cam surface 33 so as to hold the lever 15 in its rearward set position, with the locking projection 16 retracted from the slit l3, and

with the upper end portion of the lever 15 resting against the inner end wall of the frame 11. With this construction, a slider may be placed on'the rest 12 and finger pressure applied to press the lower projection 17 of the lever 15 in contact with the pull tab P, whereu- "pon the lever 15 isflexed forwardly about the pin 18.

This flexing movement of the I lever 15 causes the pusher member 35, which has "been engaged with the rear cam surface 33, to ride over the ridge 34 and come into engagement with the forward cam surface 32.

Once the lever 15 is thus brought into locking engage-- ment with the opening P0 of the pull tab P, the sliders may be swiftly set into position for threading through a fastener chain F by the-action of the spring-actuated pusher member 35 sliding down the forward cam surface 32 without the. aid of additional finger pressure. I

What is claimed is:

l. A slider holder for setting into position for threading through a fastener chain a slider having a pull tab and an opening therein, which comprises a supporting frame having a slider rest for receiving a slider thereon, a longitudinal slit for receiving therein a pull tab and a cavity communicating with said slit, a pivotally supported lever means accommodated in said cavity,said

' lever means having a first-projection movable into and out of said slit for engagement withian opening in said pull tab and a second projection for abutting engagement with said pull tab, and a resilient means for urginglever means is provided with a sectionally rhombic neck having a ridge and a first and a'second cam surface on opposite sides of said ridge for abutting engagement with said ball member, said first cam surface defining a rest position of said lever means and said second cam surface defining an operative position-of said lever means.

4. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said 7 resilient means is a leaf spring.

5. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein there 'is provided a tension spring spanning between'a first 6. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever means is provided at its lower end with a first and a second cam surface for abutting engagement with a spring-actuated pusher member. 

1. A slider holder for setting into position for threading through a fastener chain a slider having a pull tab and an opening therein, which comprises a supporting frame having a slider rest for receiving a slider thereon, a longitudinal slit for receiving therein a pull tab and a cavity communicating with said slit, a pivotally supported lever means accommodated in said cavity, said lever means having a first projection movable into and out of said slit for engagement with an opening in said pull tab and a second projection for abutting engagement with said pull tab, and a resilient means for urging said lever means into and out of operative position wherein the slider is locked in said slider rest.
 2. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 which further comprises a spring-actuated ball member for resiliently engaging with said lever means to set this means into and out of operative position.
 3. A slider holder as defined in claim 2 wherein said lever means is provided with a sectionally rhombic neck having a ridge and a first and a second cam surface on opposite sides of said ridge for abutting engagement with said ball member, said first cam surface defining a rest position of said lever means and said second cam surface defining an operative position of said lever means.
 4. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a leaf spring.
 5. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein there is provided a tension spring spanning between a first pin extending from the upper end portion of said lever means and a second pin extending from said frame beneath a pivotal pin supporting said lever means, these three pins being held in vertical alignment to define a neutral position of said lever means.
 6. A slider holder as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever means is provided at its lower end with a first and a second cam surface for abutting engagement with a spring-actuated pusher member. 